Where to Eat Near Queen's Marque, Halifax
Queen's Marque, the Halifax boardwalk, and the two blocks uphill to dinner at Barrios Kitchen & Bar on Barrington Street. Directions, what to see on the way, and what to order.
Barrios Restaurant & Bar
10/3/20265 min read
Queen's Marque and the Halifax Boardwalk: Where to Eat a Short Walk Uphill
The Halifax boardwalk runs a few kilometres, from the Seaport at the south end to Casino Nova Scotia at the north. Queen's Marque sits on it between Cable Wharf and the Maritime Museum, bound by Prince, Lower Water and George Streets.
Barrios Kitchen & Bar, a Filipino restaurant, is a short walk uphill from there, at 1571 Barrington Street, just south of Sackville Street.
This is not a roundup of the restaurants around Queen's Marque. It is one restaurant, ours, and how to walk to it. And we are not a waterfront place: no harbour view, no patio over the water. What we have is Filipino food a short climb from one of the best walks in the city, which means the view and the dinner can be the same evening.
What Queen's Marque is
The public space opened on November 26, 2021, part of about two hundred million dollars of private investment, and it is worth walking through whether or not you spend anything there.
Queen's Landing is the set of harbour stairs that drops down to the water. The North Wharf runs more than 350 feet out into the harbour, a bit over a hundred metres, which is further than it sounds when you are walking to the end of it. Rise Again Square is the courtyard in the middle.
Two pieces of art are there as well: "Sail", a wire mesh sculpture by the Italian artist Edoardo Tresoldi, and "The Sirens Calling" by John Greer, four figures out of Greek mythology.
All of it is free and outdoors, which means it is still there when the shops are closed.
The rest of the boardwalk
North of Queen's Marque: Cable Wharf, where the tour boats leave from, the ferry terminal, Historic Properties, and the casino at the far end.
South: the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, with the museum ship CSS Acadia outside and HMCS Sackville alongside in season, then Bishop's Landing, the Seaport Farmers' Market and Pier 21.
It is built of heavy timber, and in October it is a colder, quieter walk than it is in July.
Walking up from the water
Head up George Street or Prince Street, away from the harbour. You cross Lower Water, Hollis and Granville, and then you are on Barrington. Turn left and walk south to Sackville Street. We are at number 1571, just past it on the right-hand side.
It is uphill, but it is Halifax uphill, not San Francisco uphill.
Making a day of it
For lunch, we open at 11:30 AM Tuesday to Saturday. Walk the boardwalk in the morning, come up when you have had enough of it, go back down afterwards.
For dinner, come up before the light goes. The wind comes off that harbour and it does not care what month it is, and by October it is the deciding factor in how long anyone stays out there. Afterwards, the harbour is a different place in the dark.
The best fit of the week is Sunday. Filipino brunch runs 10:30 AM to 4 PM, the boardwalk is often quieter in the morning than it is at four in the afternoon, and you can do both without rushing either. There is nothing after 4 PM on a Sunday, so that is a morning plan, not an evening one.
If a ship is in port
If you came off a ship at Pier 20 or Pier 22, we are about a 20-minute walk: north along the boardwalk, up Prince Street to Barrington, then left to Sackville.
When we are open
Tuesday to Saturday from 11:30 AM. We close at 9 PM Tuesday to Thursday, with the last booked table at 8 PM, and 11 PM Friday and Saturday, with the last seating at 10 PM.
Sunday is Filipino brunch, 10:30 AM to 4 PM, at $29 for adults, $15 for children 12 and under, and free for children 5 and under.
Mondays we are closed. We sometimes open for events, so if you need something on a Monday, call or message us.
On a Friday or Saturday evening, book a table or call 902-444-2515 before you walk up, so you are not standing on Barrington Street deciding what to do next. For a group of eight or more, call ahead.
What to order after an hour in the wind
Something hot, in the middle of the table, that everyone picks at. Prices shown are from our current menu and may change.
Pork sisig, $20. Chopped roasted pork with soy sauce and chili, sizzling on cast iron with a raw egg on top and steamed rice. Mix the egg through while the plate is still hot, then squeeze the lemon that comes with it over the top.
Spring rolls, $9 for four, and pork barbecue skewers, $15 for three. Our spring rolls are lumpiang shanghai, filled with seasoned ground pork and vegetables.
Pancit bihon, $17, the noodle dish for the middle of the table, with your choice of grilled chicken, crispy pork belly or shrimp at the same price.
Kare-kare, $22, if you want the opposite of wind. Crispy pork belly and vegetables in a rich golden peanut sauce, with steamed rice and bagoong, a shrimp paste, on the side. It contains peanut and shrimp.
Crispy pata, $27, for a table to share. Pork hock, simmered in spices until tender, then deep-fried, with a homemade soy vinegar dip.
If someone at the table is vegetarian, the pinakbet at $14 is made without shrimp paste or fish sauce, the torta at $12 is an eggplant omelette, and pancit bihon or guisado can be made with vegetables and tofu if you ask.
Desserts are occasional specials, so ask whether the chef has one on; some days there is none. The full menu is online.
Quick answers
Where can I eat near Queen's Marque?
Barrios Kitchen & Bar, a Filipino restaurant a short walk uphill at 1571 Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 1Z7. Call 902-444-2515.
Where can I eat on the Halifax boardwalk?
There are places on the boardwalk itself, and there are places a short walk inland. We are the second kind: up George Street or Prince Street, across Lower Water, Hollis and Granville, on Barrington.
How do I get from the Halifax boardwalk to Barrington Street?
Walk up George Street or Prince Street away from the water. You cross Lower Water, Hollis and Granville, then you are on Barrington. Turn left and walk south to Sackville Street; we are just past it on the right.
How long is the Halifax boardwalk?
A few kilometres, from the Seaport at the south end to Casino Nova Scotia at the north.
What is there to see at Queen's Marque?
The Queen's Landing harbour stairs, the North Wharf running more than 350 feet into the harbour, Rise Again Square, and two artworks: "Sail" by Edoardo Tresoldi and "The Sirens Calling" by John Greer.
Are you open on Mondays?
No, although we sometimes open for events, so call or message us if you need something on a Monday. Tuesday to Saturday from 11:30 AM, closing at 9 PM Tuesday to Thursday and 11 PM Friday and Saturday. Sunday brunch is 10:30 AM to 4 PM.